September 29 is World Heart Day
Cathlab at TMH Completes a Decade, Performs 20,000+ Advanced Cardiac Procedures
Dr. Tapan Kumar
Cardiac diseases have emerged as the leading cause of mortality worldwide accounting for almost 10 million deaths globally every year. What is most concerning is the sharp upward trend in incidence over the last two decades.
Once considered an ailment of the elderly, we now see younger patients — even in their 30s and 40s — presenting with acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
A study published in Lancet, 2004, which analyzed over 27,000 participants across 52 countries, highlighted that South Asians develop myocardial infarction at an average age of 53 years, nearly a decade earlier than other populations. This shift is not only altering the epidemiological landscape but also placing an enormous socioeconomic burden on families and healthcare systems.
Several factors explain this trajectory- Traditional risk factors like Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking remain highly prevalent. It is estimated that 1 in 4 Indian adults has hypertension. Lifestyle factors like sedentary behavior, long work hours and diets rich in refined carbohydrates and trans fats contribute to early onset. Psychosocial stress is as significant as hypertension and smoking.
– Genetic predisposition: South Asians are at higher risk due to increased insulin resistance, central obesity and higher prevalence of small dense LDL particles — even at relatively lower BMI.
Multiple studies show a disconnect between awareness and lifestyle adherence. Rural populations still lack early diagnostic access and interventional facilities. While angioplasty, CABG, and heart failure management have advanced significantly, preventive strategies have lagged in investment and visibility.
Prevention – The Way Forward
- Population-Level Interventions
– Initiatives like tobacco taxation, salt reduction, and trans-fat elimination — proven to reduce cardiovascular risk.
– Avoidance of fast and processed food, excess sugar, unhealthy fats.
-Encourage diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains as it reduces major cardiovascular events
- Clinical Preventive Strategies
– Start risk assessment earlier: It should begin at 30 in high-risk populations like South Asians.
– Workplace and community-based health screening
– Digital health tools: Remote monitoring, wearables devices, and AI-driven ECG interpretation have shown promising results in early detection of arrhythmias and hypertension.
-Awareness of warning signs – shortness of breath, chest discomfort, palpitations, profuse sweating should not be ignored.
- Lifestyle modification and Individual action
– Regular physical activity: even moderate activity like brisk walking significantly lowers coronary risk.
– Stress management and good sleep is increasingly important.
-Avoid smoking and excess alcohol consumption
The trajectory of cardiac disease is deeply concerning but it is not irreversible. Cardiovascular disease remains one of the most preventable chronic conditions. By drawing lessons from landmark studies, adapting proven public health interventions, and embedding prevention into both clinical practice and daily life, we can alter the course of this epidemic.
TMH is always a frontrunner and so the cardiology department in providing excellent healthcare facilities to the community. With this theme we had started our Cardiac Cath lab in the year 2015. The Cathlab of TMH has now crossed more than 10 years successfully. We have performed more than 20,000 cardiac procedures in the past decade, including nearly 12% complex angioplasties for multi-vessel disease, severe calcified lesions, bifurcation/trifurcation lesions, and left main coronary artery disease.
Once dependent on referrals to other cities for simple intervention or open-heart bypass surgery for complex cases, patients can now be treated locally in our hospital and thanks to the introduction of advanced technologies in TMH such as intravascular imaging (IVUS), rotational atherectomy, intravascular lithotripsy, and modern bifurcation stenting techniques to cater complex intervention and thus avoiding bypass surgeries in many cases.
This achievement reflects not just numbers but the transformation of the Cathlab into a centre capable of delivering world-class, minimally invasive treatment close to home.
(Author is Interventional Cardiologist & Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, Tata Main Hospital (TMH), Jamshedpur)
